1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to end fittings for rope, and particularly to a fitting having a swivelling terminal element having a swivel eye thereon allowing attachment to other objects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous swivels providing joints between two parts such that the parts may pivot freely are well known in the art. A basic swivel assembly includes a pair of elements, one having a bore therein, and the other having a stem that fits into said bore. At the end of the stem is a head which is wider in diameter than the bore. Once engaged, the large size of the head prevents the two elements from coming apart, but allows them to pivot. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 51,023, 3,504,937, 4,037,978, 4,955,749 and 5,024,548.
The persistent problem presented in swivel manufacture has always been devising an economical yet effective means for connecting the two elements together. Since the diameter of the head must be larger than that of the collar of the bore, various methods have been employed to introduce said head into said bore below the collar, without adhering the head to the collar or the bore.
The most common method for causing a collar to surround a swivel shank above the head is to manufacture the collar in two pieces. This way, the collar may be attached around the stem, which may still pivot within the collar. Thereafter, the collar may be attached by screw threads, welding, or other means to another element to complete the swivel, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,548. Of course, the obvious drawback of such method is that the collar must be created in two parts, requiring expensive manufacturing and assembly.
Another means for solving this problem is to cause the stem and head assembly to be slided under the collar by way of an opening on the side of the lower element, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,978. However, the opening into which the stem-and-head must slide, must also be closed in some fashion, which requires additional parts, labor, and more expensive manufacture.
Another method of assembly is the insertion of a two-pronged screw eye piece through the collar of the lower element as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 515,023. In this patent, once the stem is inserted through the collar, a spreading dog is put in place in the screw eye to open the protruding ends to prevent the head from coming back through the collar. The swivel described in this particular patent is not suited for any permanent or rigorous use, since the insertion of a rope or other material into the screw eye may dislodge the spreading dog resulting in the release of the screw eye element from the collar.